Nephi's Courage

by Rory McFarlan

  “Merry Christmas to you, Baby,” he replied. “Can we sing Christmas carols?”

  “Honey, of course we can sing, as long as you don’t mind hearing them out of tune.”

  They sang “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls” followed by “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger”. Nephi smiled the whole time as the joy of the season touched his soul.

  Nephi retrieved Alex’s gifts from the bedroom and watched eagerly as he opened them. The jacket was a perfect fit and looked as sexy on Alex as Nephi had hoped. He determined that gift was actually for himself, after all. Seeing Alex’s face light up when he opened the sous vide system was priceless.

  “I’ve been wanting to get one of these,” he declared. “Thank you.”

  Alex kissed Nephi and smiled at him. Then he kissed him again before retrieving a small present from underneath the tree.

  “This one’s for you,” he said, extending the gift toward Nephi.

  Nephi took it and examined the wrapping of the small, thin square package. It must be a disk of some sort, maybe a computer disk, CD, or DVD.

  “Well, aren’t you going to open it?”

  Nephi gently tore the wrapping paper, taking his time to enjoy the moment. This was the first Christmas he had spent with someone he loved and he wanted to savor it. He peeled back the paper to reveal a picture of Tommy Page wearing a wool winter coat, head leaned forward resting on his arms. His hair was mussed, and he looked to have a bit of stubble on his face. He was gorgeous. Nephi opened the cover where he saw a CD. The name of the album was ‘Time’ and he had never before heard of it. His eyes lit up and appeared as if they were ready to pop right out of his head.

  “But, how?” he wondered aloud.

  “I found it at Wallaby Record Store in Salt Lake. It’s an old school music shop that sells vinyl and CDs. This album was in the import section. Apparently it was only released in Asia.”

  “Will you listen to it with me?”

  “Of course I will.”

  Nephi stood and hit the eject button on the DVD player next to the TV.

  “What are you doing?” asked Alex. “That’s a DVD player. That album is a CD.”

  “It plays CDs too. I do it all the time,” he replied as he inserted the disk and turned on the TV.

  The album began to play and Nephi extended his arms toward Alex. Taking him by the hands, he lifted him off of the sofa and placed his hands around his waist. Dancing to the music, they glided across the living room floor. Nephi almost wondered if he was in heaven. He loved every song, but especially the title track and also his favorite of the album, “Spend Tonight with You”. The song was so beautiful, and the words seemed as if they could be his own as he moved to the music with Alex in his arms.

  As the last few songs played, they moved from their dance floor to the couch where they kissed, gently at first and then passionately. They were both lost in the moment until Alex pulled away abruptly and looked at his watch.

  “Oh no, we’re late,” he exclaimed.

  “Late for what?”

  “We’re supposed to be at your parents’ house right now.”

  They kissed one more time and then went to Mike and Darla’s house where Nephi’s entire family was waiting for them along with Stacy and her family.

  “Merry Christmas, Uncle Nephi,” said Chloe when Nephi walked through the door. She ran to him and hugged him around the leg.

  “Merry Christmas, Chloe Bear.”

  Dallin, Crystal, and Sophie, soon joined her, all clamoring for attention, which he was more than willing to give. Nephi had missed the children, particularly on Christmas. His favorite part of the holiday was seeing their faces in awe at the lights and the mystery of a wrapped gift.

  They spent the night talking, exchanging gifts, and enjoying eggnog, hot cocoa, and hot apple cider, along with a Christmas feast prepared by Darla. Even though it was December 28th, it was the best Christmas that Nephi had in quite some time.

  After the family party, Nephi and Alex returned to Nephi’s apartment where they talked late into the night. Nephi told Alex all about his experience in the hospital while Alex shared the events of his life in the past week. The conversation then turned to Nephi’s employment.

  “Have you given any thought to what you want to do for work?” asked Alex.

  “I don’t really know anything except call centers and hotel reservations. I’m not sure what’s out there.”

  “Have you ever heard that it’s not what you know, but who you know that matters?”

  “Yes, I’ve heard that before, but I’m afraid I don’t have any connections.”

  “Well, I just might know someone who can help. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s worth a shot.”

  “Who is it?”

  “My old boyfriend, Jerry. He is the General Manager at the High Palace Hotel reservation center in Salt Lake.”

  “Aren’t those the fancy, high-end hotels?” asked Nephi.

  “Yep, those are the ones. Jerry has worked there forever. I don’t know if they have openings at the moment, but I can find out.”

  “That would be great. Are you still on good terms with him?”

  “Yes, we weren’t good for each other in a relationship, but we are still friends and talk every once in a while.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate it. I can use all the help I can get.”

  “Hey, Nephi,” said Alex. “Speaking of Jerry, I have been in a lot of relationships. Do you have questions or want to know about anything in my past? I’m not proud of everything, but I’m an open book if you are curious.”

  “Sweetie, none of that matters to me and I don’t care to know it. Whatever happened in your past made you who you are today, and led you to me. All I care about is that we are here together now, and I love you. Rather than worry about your past, I look forward to our future.”

  “Oh, be still my heart, Nephi Willard, where on earth did you come from and how did I ever get so lucky?”

  Alex positioned himself directly in front of Nephi, face to face, and gazed deep into his eyes. In that moment, Nephi could see right into his soul. He saw love. They kissed and held each other, both feeling something burning deep within them.

  “It’s getting late,” observed Nephi. “Do you need to get going soon?”

  “Honey, I’m not going anywhere tonight.”

  “Ok. You take the bed. You know I’m fine on the sofa.”

  “Come on, won’t you join me?” pleaded Alex. “Just for tonight.”

  “Okay,” replied Nephi, “just for tonight. But just sleeping.”

  “Yes, just sleeping,” laughed Alex, a smile on his face.

  They both moved to the bed where they cuddled and held each other until morning. Nephi felt safe in Alex’s arms and he never slept as well as he did that night.

  In the morning, Nephi got ready for church while Alex slept. Before leaving, he went into the bedroom, leaned over, and kissed Alex on the forehead which roused Alex from deep slumber.

  “Wait,” said Alex. “I have something for you.”

  From a small paper bag on the nightstand, he pulled a small rainbow emblem and pinned it on Nephi’s lapel.

  “So the others know they can sit with you,” he said.

  Nephi kissed him and made his way toward the door. “Will you still be here when I get back?” he asked.

  “I don’t work until this afternoon. I’ll be here.”

  Nephi proceeded out the door and walked to church with the rainbow pin on his lapel. He took his seat alone at the far side of the chapel and bowed his head while he listened to the organ music.

  Just before the beginning of sacrament meeting, Nephi felt someone sit next to him on the bench.

  “A little bird told me you’re willing to sit with people like me,” a voice whispered in his ear.

  Nephi looked up to find Alex sitting next to him, dressed in gray dress slacks, a light pink shirt, and a tie with a tie tack that matched Nephi’s lapel pin. Nephi s
miled and put his arm around Alex as gasps echoed behind them.

  They sat reverently and listened to the service, singing each hymn joyfully. Nephi sang in tune next to Alex who was dreadfully off key. After sacrament meeting, they both sat and listened in Gospel Principles class before returning to the apartment for lunch. Alex then returned up north to work while Nephi enjoyed his apartment. It seemed extra spacious compared to his hospital room.

  On Monday, Nephi ran on the treadmill until he couldn’t run anymore. He had missed rigorous exercise. He spent the rest of the morning searching for jobs online. Alex called around 2:00 to let Nephi know he got in touch with Jerry and scheduled an interview for Nephi on Monday, January 6th at 11:00. The opportunity excited Nephi since he only had enough savings to last a month.

  Alex had to work on New Year’s Eve so Nephi spent the night with Stacy and Roger, playing board games and watching the apple drop on TV. He and Alex rang in the New Year the following night, going out to dinner and watching two movies at The Gateway in Salt Lake.

  The week passed and Nephi either saw or talked to Alex every day. Monday arrived, covered in ice and snow, and Nephi prepared for his interview with Jerry. He dressed in a suit and tie, gassed up his truck, and drove to Salt Lake to the High Palace Hotels reservation center. Fine paintings and gold trim adorned the lobby, obvious signs that High Palace was several grades above Brower.

  “Hello, I’m here for an interview with Jerry Kerby,” said Nephi, as he approached the reception desk.

  “Very good, Mr. Willard. Please have a seat. Mr. Kerby will be with you shortly.”

  Nephi sat on a comfortable chair in the lobby and waited while rehearsing the facts of his job experience in his head.

  Jerry soon met him in the lobby and escorted him to his office.

  “Welcome, Nephi. I’m glad to meet you. Alex told me all about you, including what led to the termination of your position at Brower Hotels. It sounds like a terrible ordeal.”

  “It was terrible but I would rather not focus on that. I have a lot to offer High Palace Hotels and I would like to discuss any opportunities you have available that might match my experience.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. It’s the kind of attitude we need around here. You should understand that High Palace is not Brower. Here, we are “the refined serving the refined”. Our guests are cultured and so must be our employees. Our manner of speaking and presentation must be elegant so we convey the brand image. Would you have difficulty with that?”

  “I don’t believe so. I enjoy refined things and am very serious and professional by nature. People relate well to me and I can coach others and help them perform well.”

  “I understand you were a shift manager at Brower. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, I managed a team of twenty five reservations agents. I validated the team statistics every day, monitored and scored agent calls, provided coaching, and managed the career progression of the employees that reported to me. The day shift was my responsibility. I worked from 7:00 until 4:00.”

  “That’s excellent. Tell me about the statistics you measured.”

  “We kept track of ‘Handle Time’, ‘After Call Work’, ‘Call Abandon Rate’, and ‘Time in Queue’, among others. I found that you have to be careful which metrics you emphasize because the measurements on which you focus will change the behavior of the agents, sometimes in ways you didn’t expect.”

  “Interesting. I have also found that to be the case. It sounds like you will fit in well here. When are you available to start?”

  “As soon as you’re willing to have me.”

  “Great! We have a new agent training class that started today. You can join them tomorrow. I propose that you complete our two week training course with this batch of agents and then take calls for a month before I move you to a shift manager position. How does that sound?”

  “That sounds perfect.”

  “I’m afraid that I don’t have a manager position open in the day, though. Your training for the next two weeks will run from 9:00 until 4:00 but when you start taking calls, I will move you to the evening shift. You will work from 3:00 in the afternoon until 11:30 at night. Will that work for you?”

  “That works.”

  “Wonderful. I recently had a night shift manager position open up and one manager is pulling double-duty. You can take that spot.”

  “That sounds great to me. I’ll see you tomorrow at 9:00.”

  Nephi thanked Jerry, and went to his truck, doing a little victory dance and pumping his fist on the way. He called Alex to let him know the good news and thanked him for the introduction.

  Alex took him to lunch in celebration. After several difficult weeks, Nephi found himself with a new love, a new job, and a new appreciation for his very nature. He couldn’t wait to delve into his new world.

  Chapter 25

  Nephi rolled out of bed and kneeled to pray. Sunlight streamed in his window, causing him to squint before closing his eyes. He thanked the Lord for the many blessings in his life and then sat on the bed and read from the Book of Mormon. After a hot shower, he put on his gray dress slacks, buttoned his Olympic blue shirt, and headed out the door.

  The sun stood high in the sky, warming the green trees and flowers below. A nice walk in the 67 degree weather was the perfect way to start the first Monday in May. Nephi walked two blocks from his one bedroom Salt Lake apartment to the TRAX light rail station, where the train would take him to work. Ten short minutes later, TRAX stopped one block from the High Palace Hotels reservation center.

  Nephi couldn’t believe only four months had passed since he started at HPH. So much had changed during that time, he could hardly remember what his life was like before.

  The Salt Lake singles ward he attended was more progressive than his family ward in Pleasant Grove. A growing group of queer Mormons joined him each Sunday, each wearing a rainbow pin on their lapel, tie, or dress. Many in the ward were not comfortable with their presence and they were subject to occasional derogatory remarks, but they had each other for support and responded only with kindness.

  HPH fit Nephi better than he had hoped. Unlike Mark, Jerry led by example. There was no job beneath him. He was willing to get on the phone and take customer calls and help with monitoring associates when the managers were overwhelmed. His leadership set the tone for the entire call center.

  Nephi made each person on his team feel valued. He listened to them and took action based on their feedback to improve the work environment, which resulted in better service for their guests. In a few short months, Nephi’s team had gone from the lowest performing team in the call center to the highest, and Jerry took note, even offering Nephi a choice of shift, but he stayed with evenings. Nephi liked his team, and even better, he worked on the same schedule as Alex. Instead of a shift change, he talked Jerry into letting him split his days off. He took Sunday off because it was the Sabbath day, and Wednesday because it matched Alex’s schedule.

  Now that the distance that separated them was blocks rather than miles, and given their similar work schedules, spending time together wasn’t so difficult.

  Alex and Nephi spent time together every day. The strongest bonds don’t happen all at once. We form them over hundreds of shared moments. Those bonds are strengthened as people rely on each other through trials. After everything they had been through, Nephi and Alex shared a special bond. They were inseparable.

  Though weekly lunches with Stacy were no longer possible, Nephi still spoke with her often. He continued to attend the monthly family dinner at his parents’ home every fast Sunday. He was in a good place physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

  The changes in his life ran through his mind as he walked from the TRAX station to the office. He badged in and smiled at the receptionist on the way back to his office, where he kicked off his daily stats report job and then went to the break room to put his lunch in the fridge.

  Walking the floor to check in with his team, he t
hought about Brower, where he had to fight to keep Brock and Angela separated. He didn’t have that issue on his new team, and he hated to admit it, but he kind of missed them.

  Nephi went about the work day monitoring calls and coaching his team. He liked working at HPH and felt connected to their motto of ‘The refined serving the refined.’ While he came from a blue collar background and was proud of that, he also enjoyed the theater, fashion, and fine food. Nephi related well to the guests and enjoyed interacting with them.

  Promoting the people on his team was his favorite part of the job, though. He loved helping others to succeed and celebrated their success. So far, he had already promoted two agents to level two, and another to level three. Nephi’s team respected him, as did his peer managers.

  At the end of his shift, Nephi walked along the streetlight-illuminated sidewalk to the TRAX stop, and caught the last train home. He still wasn’t used to the darkness when he left work, but it became more normal as each week passed. He walked from the stop to Alex’s apartment.

  Alex brought some food home from work, Tagliatelle Genovese and Stuffed Porchetta. They enjoyed the meal while they talked. It was excellent, as always.

  “So, Honey, tell me about your day,” said Alex.

  “My day was good. Normal, but good. My team is doing really well, outperforming every other team at the reservation center. How about you?”

  “Mondays rarely get too crazy but my sous-chef called in sick, so I had to pull double duty. Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

  “You’re amazing at what you do. I can’t believe how good this pasta tastes. It surprises me every time.”

  “Don’t forget that you need to get time off for Pride. It’s four weeks from the coming weekend.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m already approved for Saturday the 6th. I’m all yours for the entire day.”

  “Ooh, I like the sound of that. And you have Sunday off anyway, so we’re good.”

  “Yes, I have Sunday off, but I have church from 11:00 until 1:00.”

  “Not that day, you don’t. The Pride Festival goes all day on Saturday and Sunday but the parade is the main event and that overlaps with your church time. You can’t miss the parade. I need you there with me,” insisted Alex.